There are moments in which motherhood is rewarding. The children shine as the amazing people they are, and I am given the credit. It’s silly though because as often as not I’m standing by watching my kids feeling as impressed as everyone else in the room. The dance instructors at the Arthur Murry dance studio tell me that my kids have a knack for dancing which they probably inherited from me. It might be pure flattery, but it makes me feel good.
I had a lovely time at the Arthur Murray Medal Ball. My favorite parts were watching the exhibition dancing and the social dances where Basil danced with me. The ball was put on to honor the members of the Arthur Murry dance studios across the metroplex who have been dancing for years or have achieved new levels of proficiency. Justin and Xenia were bored out of their minds by the end of the plated dinner, so when Jonah began having tingling in his throat and trouble breathing, they were all too happy to go home with him. A lady gave him some Benadryl and Mike drove over to the convention center in Hurst, Texas where we were and brought the three youngsters home. Jonah went to sleep and woke up just fine the next morning.
While we waited for Mike, I convinced Justin to take me out on the floor for one dance and then bullied the kids into going to the far wall of the ballroom to pose for pictures. We all looked like we were having fun. It was a Disney-themed ball, but the five of us wore our wedding best. My boys were wearing their suits. Basil looked very handsome. Jonah’s was a bit too tight since his arms and legs grew two inches in the past month. I knew he was suddenly taller than me, but I didn’t realize he needed new clothes. He borrowed Basil’s school blazer and looked very grown up. Xenia wore a black and red flowered dress that either Esther or Sophia wore to one of their school dances. Justin wore the suit he asked me to buy him for Esther’s wedding when John Ben proposed. He will probably outgrow it by June, but he enjoys looking dapper and wears it to all his dance classes. I wore the blue lace dress that I hope to wear to Esther’s wedding. I love having a nice-looking family all dressed up.
Basil and I were seated at different tables, but I found him for the second set of social dances and pulled him to the floor. When the dance ended a minute after we joined, I insisted that we dance the next one too. It was country. Since we are both new to the dance scene we had a moment of discussion about what dance fit the music. With an eye to the crowd, I suggested Fox Trot. It’s close enough to the country two-step which we haven’t learned yet. I had a moment of bliss, dancing in my handsome son’s arms through the first verse. Then came the chorus. The song was Country Girl (Shake it For Me). Basil’s eyes grew wide in shock at the words of the chorus.
I achieved a state of mental telepathy when I heard Basil silently screaming, “I don’t want to dance to this song with my mother!!!!!”
He managed a polite smile.
I smiled too.
We laughed an uncomfortable, knowing laugh and danced on.
My left hand rested on his broad shoulder. He held my right hand and led me through the crowd with confidence. We were going fast though. We were going fast, and I was going backwards. I panicked realizing how much I had to trust Basil. One minute I was on the dance floor and the next I was in a flashback sitting next to Basil in the car teaching him how to drive.
I looked into his eyes and questioned, “Basil! Are you nervous knowing that you are the one driving here? I can’t see where we’re going and it’s up to you to make sure we don’t run into anyone.”
We made it around a corner safely.
“No. I’m not worried at all,” he said with his charming smile. That smile which has made me love him his whole life.
Then I bumped into a man who was turning the next corner with us. He and I smiled, and it wasn’t so bad. Basil navigated us through the crush of people and we danced on without another incident or distraction on my part. He was such an agreeable partner, and I was so happy to be dancing with him.
After the dance, Basil gave me his arm and escorted me back to my table.
On the way over, I said, “Basil, I had a great time dancing. I’m so glad I gave birth to you!”
He looked down at me and said, “Uh, thanks, Mom.”
I realized how strange I sounded, but I often say random things. Basil couldn’t know what a triumph this evening was for me. Mike hates dancing but has always supported my dancing at weddings and events. It’s hard going out there without a partner though, so as soon as I gave birth to my boys, I dreamed of dancing with them someday. Then they started growing up and even though I begged for years, they never agreed to take dance classes. It’s only now with Esther’s wedding coming up that I’ve convinced Basil, Jonah, Xenia, and Justin to learn how to ballroom dance. Even I am taking lessons again too. Now I can get away with grabbing Justin or Jonah for little dances in the kitchen before school, and Basil has promised to come with me to some of the social dance group classes.
All of my children were so fun tonight. Justin and Xenia chatted with the people seated with us for the dinner even though they wished they were at home. It was wild to sit back and watch them converse with adults about their favorite subjects at school and their favorite ballroom dances. Jonah sat next to me in fear for his life without much complaint and was a good sport about my pictures. Basil, my darling Basil, looked so good on the dance floor with the other ladies he danced with, and was so nice about dancing with me during every social dance break in the program.
Recently I’ve started the first read of my new manuscript. My working title is Syra’s Scribbles V: I am Not Okay. I feel so bad for my younger self. She was so overwhelmed after giving birth to her fifth child and almost hemorrhaging to death, but she kept on homeschooling three kids while taking care of her toddler, baby, and ailing mother. Yet somehow in all that chaos, she stayed true to her dream of having a big family and went on to have one more child. I love all six of my children and am so grateful for the opportunity to enjoy them as older kids and young adults. Nights like the night at the ball show me what a wonderful family I have and make me appreciate all that has gone into getting us to where we are now.
Syra's Scribbles 